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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Thuli Eeram

From Aneethi · 2022

Lyricist
Karthik Netha
Singer
Harish Sivaramakrishnan
Music director
G. V. Prakash Kumar
Details
Aneethi2022

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Thuli eeram surakadha vaazhvilIn a life where not even a drop of compassion secretes,
Aram thoonghi vazhigindra oorilIn a town where righteousness lies asleep,
Oru needhi thalaiyeeri aadumA justice dances arrogantly high above,
AneedhiInjustice!
Male
Madhayanai arasaalum kaatilIn a forest ruled by a wild elephant,
Thanakkaana idam thedum eesalA winged termite searching for its own small space,
Kidaikkamal alai modhum sogamWanders restlessly without finding it, a deep sorrow—
AneedhiInjustice!
Male
Yaar needhi melo yaar needhi keezhoWhose justice is superior, whose justice is inferior?
Panam kaasin kaiyongum podhuWhen money and wealth gain the upper hand,
Pasi yaavum vazh yendhum podhuWhen all hunger brandishes a sword,
Muran pattin malaraaga pookkumBlossoms as a flower born of conflict,
Aneedhi aneedhiInjustice, injustice!
Male
Kaanal neeroo siru ootrroIs justice a mirage or a tiny spring?
Needhi dhaan yaadhooWhat truly is justice?
Poovin kaambhae seezh endraalIf the stem of the flower itself drips with pus,
Vaasam thaan kanavooIs fragrance merely a dream?
Male
Vinmeenoo kanneerooIs it a distant star or a teardrop?
Needhithaan edhuvooWhich one is justice?
Maanudam enbathaeIs humanity itself...
Maaperum tholviyooA colossal failure?
Eliyavar vaazhum vaazhvoo aneedhiIs the very life lived by the poor an injustice?
Male
Meengalin thevaiyooIs it the need of the fish,
Thoondalin aasaiyooOr the desire of the fishing hook?
Uyir vaazhdhalin koothilaeIn this grand drama of living life,
Yaavumae kelviyooIs everything just a question mark?
Male
Kaanal neeroo siru ootrroIs justice a mirage or a tiny spring?
Needhi dhaan yaadhooWhat truly is justice?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song encapsulates the existential despair and struggle against systemic oppression depicted in the movie Aneethi. It deeply questions the true nature of justice in a world devoid of empathy, where righteousness is asleep and money holds power. The lyrics use vivid metaphors—like a tiny winged termite trying to find space in a forest ruled by wild elephants, or a flower whose stem bleeds pus—to depict the helpless state of the marginalized. Ultimately, the song serves as a poignant philosophical reflection on whether justice is real or merely an illusion. It questions whether humanity itself has failed and whether the daily struggle of the underprivileged is an inherent tragedy or a rigged game controlled by the powerful.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamai)

Madhayanai arasaalum kaatil / Thanakkaana idam thedum eesal

Compares the oppressive powerful class to a rogue elephant ('Madhayanai') ruling a forest, and the vulnerable poor to a fragile winged termite ('Eesal') seeking a tiny space.

Rhetorical Question (Vinaa)

Kaanal neeroo siru ootrro / Needhi dhaan yaadhoo

Uses continuous philosophical questions to express doubt and existential anguish regarding the existence of justice.

Contrast / Imagery (Muran)

Poovin kaambhae seezh endraal / Vaasam thaan kanavoo

Juxtaposes the beauty and delicacy of a flower ('Poovu', 'Vaasam') with corruption and decay ('Seezh' / pus) to symbolize deep-rooted societal corruption.

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Maanudam enbathae / Maaperum tholviyoo

Repetition of initial consonant/vowel sounds in adjacent lines ('Vinmeenoo' and 'Needhithaan' / 'Maanudam' and 'Maaperum').

Did you know?

Trivia

This title track from Vasanthabalan's psychological thriller 'Aneethi' (2023) was composed by G. V. Prakash Kumar with lyrics by Karthik Netha. The song features powerful vocals by Harish Sivaramakrishnan, the lead vocalist of the popular Carnatic-rock band Agam, which gives the song its distinct rock-infused classical energy.

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